Preconception planning - anyone want to join?

[sunflowersaremyfav93]

Hello!

I've been reading loads on the importance of pre-conception nutrition and preparing your body. Some say 3 months before and I've seen some that say 6 months before.

I find myself trawling through threads on Mumsnet but wondered if there were any ladies planning to start TTC in the next few months and wanted a forum to chat about ways to prepare / excitement of it all etc.

I often find myself going on to my bf and mum and they're like ok ok! 😂

@Megan88 thank you no there are defo a few of us on here working on the weight loss :) for me it’s the main reason that I haven’t started ttc yet x

@JamesZebra how exciting about Devon! Sounds lovely, hope the weather stays beautiful for you.

I have had the same thought, if DH cant come to my first scan, id be inclined to book a private scan (last I checked they are £79 in my area) but for his first child, I wouldn't want him to miss out on that experience.

@Lollipop87 it will regulate soon enough. I used to hate it too, but then I found myself stressing about it and I don't think that used to help it really. I'm forcing myself out for a run today. Due AF today as well although this month I have had zero PMS symptoms, no pre period pains, no cravings nothing. My temp has dropped though so defo know its coming and hoping sooner rather than later as I have a smear booked in for next week and really don't want to move it again.

I am so bored today and I am starting to get really impatient!! I feel like I am wishing the next 2/3 months away just so I can get started which is crazy. I am hoping it goes quickly though and I have a handful of things booked in here and there so hoping that will help.

Work has said that most likely than not we will return back to the office after Christmas, which is great for me because if I do get preg when I want to, I can deal with symptoms at home in my own space rather than trying to hide it at work.

I am soooo impatient, I just want to try to make a baby now, I'm so unfocused on the rest of my life. I know I need to wait, all the reasons we had for waiting for December are sensible, but it's like a switch has gone off in my head and I cannot temporarily switch it off!

Morning all - I can definitely empathise with feeling impatient and wishing the time away @wrensandrobins and @CookieMonster3001. I think it’s knowing that, once you do start, it might not happen straight away, and then even when it does it’ll still be another 9 months until the baby arrives. I definitely struggled last month knowing that I had ovulated and that a perfectly good shot was passing me by.

Had a chat with my husband last night following his comment yesterday about ditching the condoms and he was serious - in his mind we’d basically be NTNP, although given the attention I’m paying to my cycle I’m not sure that’d be strictly true! I won’t be telling him when I’m ovulating or keeping him advised of my cycle though, so from his perspective there’s no additional pressure.

Cookie, I do keep thinking that it would be sooo convenient to be going through the first trimester now whilst working from home - much easier to keep under wraps and deal with any nasty symptoms!

@queenatom that's great! and your OH wont really be aware of what you tracking in the background, so who knows you may get preg earlier than you were expecting! Fingers crossed for you!

I went for my run! Hurrah! Although it did not go well at all, just over half way and I had to stop. Usually its cus I'm out of puff, which I can usually push through. This time though, my body just couldn't do it! I imagine its because I'm due AF today but kinda disappointed I couldn't finish it. Its my first run in 7 weeks that I haven't been able to finish! But I am giving myself props for going in the first place lol.

Its probs my own fault for jinxing it and saying I have zero symptoms this month!

Well done on getting out there @CookieMonster3001 - and it still counts, even if you didn't quite do what you originally set out for. For what it's worth, I went for a run on Sunday (the day before) AF started and also found myself super out of puff.

Hi ladies,

Just catching up on all of these messages, it's so exciting that some of you are TTC now, we're all getting closer to our goal, hooray!

I must admit one thing I'm struggling with is exercise, I'm on my feet whilst cooking, cleaning etc every evening but I don't really ever get out and go for a walk or run.

I've really been good with eating though, making sure we get our 5 a day, especially for my boyfriend who has now told me he wants to be at a good weight for baby making...I think it's the months of me going on about how our weight and health l will actually have an impact on our baby's long term health.

I think I've asked this already but for those of you who don't eat any fish at all are you taking any supplements? I've read loads about how DHA is important for baby's development and even eyesight?!

@sunflowersaremyfav93 I have been taking omega 3- I heard you shouldn't have fish oil as it is high in vit A bit purely omega 3 is ok, I will stop taking as we start TTC to be safe I think

So I did a ovulation test this afternoon because I was trying to work out where I am now if my cycle- I'm 2 days late for my period but only came off the pill a week ago so I think we can safely say that my cycle has probably changed!

The test has a very faint line so I think I may actually ovulate in the next week? What do you think?

I did a pregnancy test too just to be sure and that was negative! As expected given how careful I was on the pill!

@CookieMonster3001 that's so good that you'll be off work still. I'm back to teaching in September so no hiding symptoms for me. Although when I was pregnant with DD, I didn't actually experience any pregnancy symptomsz or even look pregnant until around 20 weeks but I weigh a lot less now than I did then so I imagine I might show earlier this time.

Well done for getting out there on your run CookieMonster3001 I've tried to run as much as possible while we're on holiday but it's very hilly here compared to where I'm from so a 5 and 10k run seem like so much more effort than normal. Hoping when AF does arrive it doesn't knock me off my game too much.

@wrensandrobins and CookieMonster3001 I know what you mean about waiting, we were waiting until the end of September but I'm so impatient that we're now not preventing. If nothing has happened by the end of September then I might have to start taking things more seriously and tracking ovulation.

I can't stop eating today - usually a sure fire sign that AF is about a week away. Totally blew the diet and went to gregs for a chicken bake and ate ALOT of Cheetos! I better get my head back in the game tomorrow! I won't lie, it was delicious!!!!

@CookieMonster3001well done on the run :) I know exactly how you feel wishing the time away- I have weeks where I like am excited and weeks where I am obsessed haha! So good about not returning to the office until Christmas :) so nice to not have to worry about people speculating :)

@wrensandrobins you took the words from my mouth. Sensibly we would wait until nov but It’s all I think about!

@queenatom so right about it not happening straight away that’s what I keep telling DH. Ahhh that’s so exciting about ditching the condoms! Fingers crossed for you!

@sunflowersaremyfav93 I don’t really eat fish and haven’t taken any supplements so if you find out the answer I would be interested to know :)

@JamesZebra sometimes a cheat day is needed and what is better
Than a greggs chicken bake Omgosh if there was a heart emoji I would use it haha x

@Lollipop87 all being well think I will be joining you with August now being my last ‘non trying’ AF fingers crossed. DH and I sat down this afternoon and have agreed to “not try but not prevent” from 1 September :) @CookieMonster3001 similar to you in that I will obviously know when I will be roughly ovulating so I will class as tcc although DH has said he would rather not know to reduce the pressure.

We laughed about all the ‘crazy’ I’ve been spouting from the bible and he said he doesn’t want to know what temperature I am (although I haven’t personally been doing any monitoring). Also said their better not be a way to plan twins in the bible lol!

In my head as original plan was sept then maybe dec this gives us a good 4 month window to give it a go. If nothing happens by Jan I’m defo going to take a break for my 30th and then maybe actively ttc after March.

But eeek excited to start “not trying not preventing” next month!

Heyho:) sooooo keeping my mind off off babys obviously doesn‘t work for me..every other evening I find myself peeking in here to see what you‘re talking about. Anyway healthier than googeling pregnancy tests I guess:D btw what do you think about testing before expected period? I won’t do it I guess but wondering what you ladies think :)

@Pebbleinthesand My school just told everyone that pregnant staff isn‘t allowed to teach/work in school which does calm me in regards to a second wave and 1st triemester symptoms..

@mackjm20 Love it that you had a good laugh with your husband about the bible:D

I totally feel you all with the baby fever but seems like a lot of us are „ttc“ earlier as expected so yay for us!!

@Nate1 I think you can test up to 6 days before with first response? I would try not to but know I would lol!

It’s so exciting isn’t it! He thinks I’m mad when I tell him the bits I read but I have found it so good! Glad that he has been listening even if it’s to take the piss of me haha!

@wrensandrobins totally know what you mean about not being able to focus on any other part of your life, I think if DH could see inside my head he’d freak!! 😂

@Nate1 that’s good about your school, @Pebbleinthesand maybe yours will bring in a similar thing for pregnant women, or have they already said otherwise?

Lots of you doing NTNP now/soon which is exciting! I really want to try and talk DH into doing that straight after August AF but I’m not sure he’ll be up for it. Maybe I’ll go with the line about taking the pressure off as that might sound good to him. I went for my blood test today for the rubella immunity, I think the results get sent from my GP’s surgery by text or maybe they’ll ring me. It was at my local hospital but I it was a walk-in system where you take a ticket, had to wait for an hour and a half! Regarding testing early, although I too am an “impatient woman” I think I’d try to wait until around my period was due because it can often be negative only to be positive a few days later so at least you save yourself some disappointment and some money!

@Nate1 I might have to look into that. I imagine it might be mentioned in the inset days at the beginning of term but I may have to speak to my head if I'm already pregnant by then. How do you feel about everyone at work knowing straight away if you weren't able to be in school? This does bother me a bit but at the end of the day I don't think it'd bother me too much, maybe just that some work acquaintances would know before close family.

Also with regards to testing early I think I tested one or two days before my period was due with DD

Well done @CookieMonster3001 getting out there is the part I fall down on 

@mackjm20 I read some thing about if you eat lots of dairy you're more likely to have twins (also if breastfeeding), half our fridge is dairy (and DD is glued to my boobs) so DP panicked when I told him

For testing early I tested 2 weeks after the contraceptive failure and because my periods were so wonky I think that was "early" as when I went for my 12 week scan booked from my last period DD was still too small. I can't remember but might have been a week out, the internet cheapies were very strongly positive.

I spoke to a GP today, being sent for a blood test but as I'm so needle phobic I need DP to come and basically hold me down and he's only available one day a week and I can't do next week so I have to wait a week and a half. She wasn't impressed with putting it off till then but has also prescribed numbing cream. No idea what we're going to do with DD as she won't like to see my freak out but there's no one to look after her.

I looked at meal shakes to help add in extra calories buuut would get expensive, an extra £45-60 per month for a few months and then would probably need to keep on it but a lower amount to keep the weight on

@Lollipop87 I thought your plan was after August af? Has your dh had the all clear from the docs yet? Fingers crossed like you said that the idea of taking the pressure off might help :) Omgosh so rubbish that you had to wait so long!

@olderthanyouthink Omgosh I am not telling dh that he will ban all dairy hahaha! Hope your blood test goes okay xxx

Hi everyone,
I'm in a different position to most of you and actually jealous that you were all patient enough to let your cycle settle before you start trying.
Quick recap on my situation...coil out 4th July...no idea what my cycle is. I started tracking using OPKs and BBT and moved to app fertility friend.
According to my bbt I ovulated on 21st July...my temp dipped before then increased and dipped around 8dpo which could be an implantation sign and since then my temp has increased and stayed above the cover line. This bbt trend could be a sign of pregnancy so I have been taking tests past 5 days..since 11 dpo...all negative and still no sign of AF. So I'm in no man's land if not pregnant but no AF and 16 dpo.
I shouldn't be letting myself worry but I am as long luteal phase can be a sign of PCOS which my Dr think I have a touch of.
I can't have my MRI until I have a period either... apparently negative pregnancy test isn't enough to prove I'm not pregnant.
Anyway my point for you ladies is definitely start tracking your cycle as soon as you can and stop using hormonal contraception a few months before you TTC to let your body settle so you don't go crazy like me.

Good Morning :)

@Pebbleinthesand yes I thought about that too :( I feel like normally it would bother me because I would actually like to keep it to myself and hubby for a while but under COVID circumstances I think I might tell close family (mum and dad/maybe brothers) very soon anyway because I don’t want to lie to them about going to work and other stuff that comes up and I‘m not able to do because I should keep some extra distance if there is a second wave.. We were told that we must tell our headmaster as soon as we know (not even to wait for the doctors appointment) so there’s no wrigle room for me.

@olderthanyouthink I feel you with getting some more calories in. I find it helpful to try to build some muscles (low key :D) and eat lots of plant based fats like avocado etc. Muscles have helped me gain on or two pounds I guess or maybe that’s just wishful thinking haha :D

@olderthanyouthink good luck for your blood test! If it’s any consolation the lady who did mine was so good I hardly felt it going in! I guess when all you do all day is stick needles in people’s arms you get pretty good at it!

@mackjm20 yeah it was annoying but just glad it’s done. Thanks for asking, he’s just waiting for a phone appointment with the docs to confirm. So according to my cycle I would have an early September AF and then we would start TTC. The good news is my cycle seems to be a regular 27 days now as 27 days from last AF would be today and my last one came on as soon as I woke up - same thing happened today which is great as one less thing to worry about.

@butterfly5291 sorry to hear about your cycle, fingers crossed it regulates soon. If you are pregnant would that worry you in terms of the MRI and not being able to have it or would you still be over the moon?

@butterfly5291 I would be over the moon, but I'm not pregnant...I've used the first response early response tests and absolutely zero. I also have no symptoms at all. My temp isn't steadily climbing...it's fluctuating....just above the cover line.

@butterfly5291 so sorry that it sounds abit Of a worrying wait. I hope you get the answers you are looking for soon :) and are able to get your mri sorted :)

@Lollipop87 that is good news :) and with an early September af not long to wait now :) hope the phone call with the dr goes well :) so good that your cycle has really settled as that will help so much :) my last 2 have been 29 days hoping this one is the same to show a proper pattern :)

@butterfly5291 ah ok, just annoying then that no AF! Fingers crossed it comes soon.

Now I’ve had 3 cycles of 27 days my Clue app has re-calculated my future cycles which is good because now I can look ahead and my fertile windows and AFs are accurate. Just told DH “good news, my cycles are nice and regular” and he was like “oh good, how do you know that all of a sudden?” so I said my period had started and he went “FFS, cry me a river that’s not good news!” He did try and come onto me in his sleep so maybe he’s a bit horny 😂

Some of you were saying you’d either not felt motivated with exercise or found it harder in the days leading up to AF, do you think that’s a hormone thing? I was super on it last week doing a workout most mornings but this week I’ve not done a single one as I just can’t get motivated to do it! I’ve also been hungrier. So interesting learning about our bodies off hormonal contraception isn’t it!